Lock



A. BERUBE Oct. 12, 1937.

LOCK

Filed July 26, 1935 flaw/0r,

Patented Get. 12, 1937 UNITED STATES 2,095,590 LOCK Arthur Brub, Notre Dame du Lac, Quebec, Canada Application July 26, 1935, Serial No. 33,344 In Canada September 13, 1934 2 Claims.

The present invention pertains to a lock adapted for use on doors, safes, drawers and the like. The object'of the invention is to provide a lock which cannot be opened Without a key, and which, moreover, is characterized by a special action requiring the use of an unconventional key.

The locking member is in the form of a hook pivoted within the lock and adapted to pass out of and re-enter through one of the edges of the box. The free, re-entrant end of the hook is held by key-controlled means. This means consists preferably of opposed levers held by means of springs in notches formed in the re-entrant end of the hook. The levers are separated by means of a key, whereupon the hook is withdrawn by means of another spring acting upon it.

The key-controlled means may be further complicated by providing the levers in sets and forming on the confronting edges of the sets, contact surfaces of unlike shape. These surfaces must each be engaged by a characteristic key member in order to lift the levers out of the notches. Consequently, the key must have the correct combination of elements, all of different form, for proper engagement with the contact surfaces in order properly to actuate the holding lever.

The invention is fully disclosed by way of example in the following description and in the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a sectional view of the look just beneath one of the lateral walls;

Figure 2 is an elevation of the key;

Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1; and

Figure 4 is a detail transverse section.

Reference to these views will now be made by use of like characters which are employed to designate corresponding parts throughout.

In Figure 1 is shown the lock box 1 having a marginal wall 2 and a lateral wall 2 directly opposite the wall to which the numeral I is applied. At approximately the center of the box I is journaled a hub 3 from which extends a hook generally indicated by the numeral 4. This hook has a curved portion 5 adapted to lie outside the box I as shown in Figure 1. The hook member further includes an arm or lever 6 between the hub 3 and the curved portion 5. The free end of the latter re-enters the box I and is formed with a pair of notches I at opposite sides for a purpose which will presently be described.

Around the hub 3 is wound a spring 8 tending to draw the hook 4 to the dotted line position shown in Figure l. The full line position is the I looking position, it being understood that the adjacent part of the door structure (not shown) has a portion adapted to be straddled by the hook, thereby holding the relatively movable part of the door structure locked to one another. When the hook is withdrawn by means of a key, as will presently be described, it enters the box I as illustrated in dotted lines in Figure 1 and is stopped in its movement by means of a rubber bumper II] suitably mounted in the box. The bumper I0 is preferably a tubular rubber member surrounding a stud 9. The hub 3 has a square hole II adapted to receive a square key I2 for retracting the hook 4 after a preliminary unlocking of hook 4, which will presently be described.

Within the box I and near the notches I of the hook 4 when in locking position, are mounted levers in sets I4 and I5 swinging on pivots I6 and H. The sets of levers are normally drawn together by springs I8. The free ends I9, 20, of the levers are adapted for reception respectively in the opposite notches I of the hook 4, whereby the latter is positively held in its looking position. A keyhole 2i is formed in one or each lateral wall of the box I and is of such shape as to receive a key 22 carried on a shank 23. The other end of the shank may be curved at I3 for pivotal attachment of the key I2 thereto as clearly illustrated in Figure 2. Contact surfaces 24 are formed on the inner edges of levers I4 and I5 and at opposite sides of the keyhole 2| for engagement by the key. The surfaces are preferably of unlike shape, and the key 22 is shaped correspondingly, so that on turning of the key the levers will be separated from the notches 1 against the action of springs I8.

Between the upper lever I4 and the hub 3 is mounted a slide 25 having a lengthwise slot 26 receiving a pair of studs 21, one of which is carried by the box I. At one end of the member 25 is a pocket 29 receiving a latch bolt 28 adapted to be projected through the adjacent marginal wall 2. Beneath the slide 25, a stem 30 is slidably mounted in a guide 3|. A stop 32 is formed on the stem 30 and engages one end of a spring 33 surrounding the member 30 and abutting the guide 3|. The other stud 21 is carried by one end of the stem 30 for a purpose which will presently be described.

Another lever 34 having its free end entering a notch 35 in the slide 25, is carried on a square shaft 36 mounted transversely in the box I. This shaft may, for example, be turned by means of a knob at either side of the door. As the slide 25 is retracted by means of the lever 34, it moves the stem 30 in its guide 3| and thereby compresses the spring 33, so that the normal tendency of the spring 33 is to hold the bolt 28 in latching position. The inner surface of each lateral wall may be relieved at 37 around the keyhole 2| if desired.

In the use of the device, assuming that the door is locked, the key shank 23 is inserted in one or the other of the key holes 2|. The fingers 22, on turning of the shank23, are brought into contact with the contact surfaces 24 which preferably are of unlike shape, so that only a specially shaped key structure will actuate all the levers M, I5 of each set. I9 and 20 are withdrawn from the notches I, releasing the hook land permitting the spring 8 to retract the hook structure into the box as shown in dotted lines in Figure 1. The knob on the shaft 36 at either side of the door is then turned in the usual manner, actuating the bolt 28 as previously described, whereupon the door may be swung open.

In looking the door, the square key I2 is inserted in the hole H and turned, and the hook is projected out of the box against the action of spring 8 on turning the key l2. The free end of the hook is so shaped as to force its way between the free ends of the levers I l, l5, spreading the levers until their free ends enter the notches 1 under the action of the extended springs l8.

By this action, the lever ends Although a specific embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it will be understood that various alterations in the details of construction may be made without departing from the scope of the invention, as indicated by the appended claims.

What I claim is:-

1. In a lock, a box, a hook journaled therein and having a portion adapted to pass out of and re-enter said box, key-operated opposed levers journaled in said box, the free re-entrant end of said hook being notched for retaining engagement with said levers, springs tending to hold said levers in engagement with the notches, and

- a spring positioned to be wound on engaging said 

